January is not only the start of a new year, it’s also a good time to take stock of your home and the items in it. After the holidays we generally feel ready to eliminate the excess and let go of those things we don’t want or use, and this is particularly critical if a home remodel is on your horizon.  If you start decluttering now you won’t be pressured to find places to store items you really don’t need or want during the remodel, and when it’s time to redecorate you’ll have space.

Step 1. Start simple. Grab a bag for garbage and one for recycling and wander around your house to looking for easy to eliminate items. There’s usually something in each room that just hasn’t made it to the appropriate receptacle or is past its use-by date. Next…

Step 2. Choose the room. Not all rooms are cluttered equally. We suggest starting with the kitchen or living room since they get the most use and are usually highly visible to guests. If one room really overwhelms you, maybe select your second most cluttered space so you won’t feel defeated before you even begin. Then…

Step 3. Tackle the piles. It’s easy for the kitchen counter to become the dumping ground for mail, holiday detritus and more. If there are piles littering your countertop, coffee table or business center, begin eliminating these first as the change will garner immediate satisfaction. File paperwork that you need and recycle what you don’t. If you don’t have a spot for something, maybe it’s not really needed. Once you’ve done that…

Step 4. Donate, donate, donate. We can find ourselves reticent to get rid of things because the idea of adding to the landfill causes us pause. If this is you, choose to lessen your load by taking advantage of buy nothing groups, donation sites, and local charity drops. While you may not get the tax write-off, your home will feel better and so will you knowing that a person in need is enjoying their new-found treasures. Once you’ve donated your items…

Step 5. Rearrange. We often move things around in our home after the holidays because decorations have required us to adjust for stockings, a tree, presents and more. Take a moment to see if there’s an alternate way to position your furniture that might be an improvement over the previous layout. Doing so may ferret out items that you really don’t need anymore, which may be a sign that it’s time to be rid of them.

Now, pick another room or space to focus on. Before you know it, you’ll have a completely decluttered home!